Back Dona Maria II Italian

Asia (1797 ship)

For other ships with the same name, see Asia (ship).

Donna Maria at the battle of Cabo San Vicente
History
Great Britain
NameAsia
Owner
  • 1803:Smith, Forbes, and Company, and Homajee Bomanjee
  • 1805:Lanby
BuilderBombay Dockyard
Launched1797
FateSold 1805
Royal Navy EnsignUnited Kingdom
NameHMS Sir Francis Drake
NamesakeFrancis Drake
Acquired1805 by purchase
Commissioned1808
Honours and
awards		Naval General Service Medal (NGSM) with clasp "Java"[1]
FateSold 1825
United Kingdom
NameAsia
OwnerBlythe & Co.
Acquired1825 by purchase
FateSold 1831
Portugal
NameDona Maria II
NamesakeMaria II of Portugal
Acquired1831 by purchase
FateDestroyed in an explosion at Macao in 1850[2]
General characteristics
Tons burthen735,[3][4] or 736,[5] or 740,[6] or 75130⁄94, or 783[7][8] (bm)
Length81 ft 9 in (24.9 m)
Beam20 ft 9 in (6.3 m)
Complement
  • Storeship:88
  • 1833:270
Armament
  • Storeship:
    • Upper deck:2 × 9-pounder guns + 14 × 24-pounder carronades
    • QD:4 × 24-pounder carronades
    • Fc:2 × 9-pounder guns
  • 1833:30 × 12-pounder guns
  • 1833:42 × 18-pounder guns and carronades

Asia was built at Bombay Dockyard in 1797. She made at least two voyages for the British East India Company (EIC) before the British Royal Navy purchased her in 1805 in the East Indies. The Royal Navy renamed her HMS Sir Francis Drake and used her as a frigate. She served in the Java campaign of 1811. When she returned to England in 1813 she was refitted as a storeship. Later, she became the flagship, at Newfoundland, for the governors of Newfoundland. The Admiralty sold her in 1825. New owners renamed her Asia and she sailed between Britain and London until 1831 when Portuguese interests purchased her. She then became the frigate Dona Maria II for the Liberal forces that were attempting to install the rightful queen, Dona Maria II, to the throne of Portugal, and overthrow Dom Miguel, who had usurped the throne. In early 1849 conflict developed between the Portuguese government in Macau and the Chinese government over who could collect taxes and tariffs at Macao. Dona Maria II sailed to Macao as part of a small squadron. An internal explosion destroyed her in the harbour on 29 October.

  1. ^ "No. 20939". The London Gazette. 26 January 1849. p. 244.
  2. ^ Marques Esparteiro (1976), p. 40.
  3. ^ Hackman (2001), p. 223.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference RS1805 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Wadia (1955), p. 336.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Directory1803 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Hackman (2001), p. 251.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference LR1827 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

Developed by StudentB